Yes, the franchise—miraculously—has a 20-19 record with two games left before the season's halfway point. However, the team's on-court performance has been overshadowed by the tug-of-war between Heat forward Jimmy Butler and club brass—culminating in a seven-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team on Jan. 3.

Jimmy Butler wanting to leave the Miami Heat has brought the franchise into a bad light. The way Pat Riley is trying to get the situation sorted has seen many condemn the NBA legend who once sent franchise legend Dwyane Wade out.

Perhaps little says as much about the convoluted current relationship between Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat as this: The team has reached the end game of its seven-game unpaid suspension of the former All-Star forward with the situation nonetheless ongoing.